2009 Saturn Outlook Owner's Manual - Page 277

Driving Your Vehicle • Consider using a sway control. See "Hitches" later in this section. 4-27 • The vehicle is designed primarily as a passenger and load carrying vehicle. If a trailer is towed, the vehicle will require more frequent maintenance due to the additional load. Three important considerations have to do with weight: • Do not tow a trailer at all during the first 500 miles (800 km) the new vehicle is driven. The engine, axle or other parts could be damaged. It can depend on any special equipment on the vehicle, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry. See "Weight of the Trailer Tongue" later in this section for more information. Maximum trailer weight is calculated assuming only the driver is in the tow vehicle and it has all the required trailering equipment. The weight of additional optional equipment, passengers and cargo in the tow vehicle must be subtracted from the maximum trailer weight. • Then, during the first 500 miles (800 km) that a trailer is towed, do not drive over 50 mph (80 km/h) and do not make starts at full throttle. This helps the engine and other parts of the vehicle wear in at the heavier loads. • The weight of the trailer. • The weight of the trailer tongue. • And the weight on the vehicle's tires Weight of the Trailer How heavy can a trailer safely be? It depends on how the rig is used. For example, speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature and how much the vehicle is used to pull a trailer are all important. • Obey speed limit restrictions when towing a trailer. • The vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission to a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions. See "Tow/Haul Mode" later in this section.